Kindred Spirits
by HP Slash Luv
Summary: Lavender gets paid a visit after the war.


**Title: **Kindred Spirits

**Rating:** T

**Pairing(s): **Seamus/Lavender

**Warnings: **AU

**Disclaimer:** Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.

**Summary: **Lavender gets paid a visit after the war.

**Word Count: **912

**Notes: **Written for the 1991 Challenge at HPFC forum. **Character:** Lavender Brown. **Prompt:** Scar.

Written for the Prompts Mania Challenge at HPFC forum. Easy Level. **Prompts: **Lilac, "Why can't you trust me?", wish, hair

Written for the Gift-Giving Extravaganza 2014 (September). For Muggle Jane.

**Beta:**the lovely teddylupin-snape

**Feedback:**Yes

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><p>Lavender looked at herself in the mirror. The scar was prominent on her once flawless skin. The final battle was almost six months ago, and she had become a recluse. She was once at the center of all things social, but now she just wanted to be left alone to her misery.<p>

She had various Floo calls from friends, but those calls always went unanswered. Why couldn't everyone just leave her alone? Didn't they understand that was what she wished?

Lavender turned away from the mirror, hating her ugly image. She went to her sitting room and laid down on her couch. Her legs were bent at the knee as if to curl into herself. She stared at the door to the outside for a moment before she allowed her eyes to close and drifted off into a doze.

She was rudely brought out of her almost sleep by a furious pounding on her door. Lavender opened her eyes and stared unblinkingly at the monstrosity. She stayed in place, hoping the intruder would leave if she didn't answer the door.

The person proved to be annoyingly persistent and continued knocking on the door, the knocks getting increasingly louder.

Lavender sighed glumly, knowing she had no choice. This was one person that wouldn't be put off by her ignoring the door. She answered it, forestalling the persistent knocks. "What do you want, Seamus?"

"To see you," he answered simply, in that very familiar Irish accent.

Her eyes were trained on the visible scars that littered his face. They weren't as hideous as Lavender's, but they were still there. She wondered how he could stand leaving the comfort of his home, knowing he was probably the subject of gawking stares. "Well, you've seen me. Now you can leave."

Seamus's eyebrows rose. "Did you really expect that to work?"

Lavender shook her head. "No, but it was worth a try."

Seamus forced his way into her loft. "You know you can't hide out forever."

Lavender crossed her arms. "If I want to hide, I will. There's nothing left for me in the outside world anyway," she said dismissively.

Seamus's eyes flashed. "How can you say that? In case you haven't noticed, you're not the only one scarred." He pointed at his face as if Lavender somehow missed them.

She flinched, even as she realized he didn't just mean it in the physical sense. "You don't understand. My looks have always been very important to me and –"

He harshly interrupted, "I know. I think all of the Gryffindors were aware of your vanity. But that's not all you have going for you."

Lavender scoffed, "Yeah, right."

Seamus's eyes softened. "Lav, you are still one of the most beautiful witches I have ever laid eyes on. You're brave like a true Gryffindor. You're sweet and loyal. You're special."

Lavender swallowed down a lump that seemed to have appeared in her throat. "Don't say things like that," she whispered.

"Why? It's the truth, or at least how I see it."

Seamus gently took her hand and brought it to his lips. He pressed his lips against her palm in a featherlike touch. Shivers ran through Lavender's body at such an innocuous touch, although it wasn't completely innocent if the burning heat in Seamus's eyes was anything to go by.

Lavender wrenched her hand from Seamus. "Leave," she ordered.

Seamus's eyes showed his disappointment at her reaction. "I care about you more than you can possibly know. Why can't you trust me?"

Lavender twirled her hair around one of her fingers, a move that was very reminiscent of her Hogwarts days even though it didn't have the same whimsical feeling. "I'm afraid your words are nothing more than a lie, and I'll wake up and find out that it was all a vivid and wonderful dream. After all, who could possibly care about, or even be attracted to a scarred monster?"

"I can because you're so much more than just your face. You have no idea how much I wanted to see you before today. Dean told me to give you some space, but I think I gave you too much. Lav, I love you and I'm always going to love you. Don't push me away," he pleaded.

Lavender didn't want to believe him. Believing always led to heartbreak, and she wasn't sure she could handle it. "Seamus..."

"No! Don't turn me away. Every one of us has to heal, whether it's physical or emotional wounds. It doesn't make us weak. You just have to let yourself be helped. Have the courage to accept help," he reiterated.

"My scars will never go away."

"I don't care," he whispered soothingly. "Because guess what? I'm never going to go away either. We'll get through this together. I promise."

Lavender still wasn't sure, but she allowed Seamus to pull her into a strong hug. She rested her head on his shoulder and heard him take a deep breath. "Your hair always smells like lilac."

Lavender laughed weakly. "It's the shampoo."

"I love your shampoo."

They stayed silent, Seamus holding Lavender as if she was the most precious thing in his universe. She wanted to believe his words. She really, really did. Talk was cheap, though. His actions would prove whether his words were true.

She hoped they were because for the first time since the end of the war, she saw a light at the end of the dark, dark tunnel.


End file.
